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This Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is an easy recipe that’s great for anyone, including beginner cooks. Just prep your ingredients, add them to your slow cooker, and that’s it. Cook it on low to simmer all day, or set it to high if you need it ready sooner.
You’ll love this recipe if you enjoy dishes likeCrock Pot Taco Soup, White Bean Soup, andCreamy Italian Sausage Soup.
![Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (1) Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (1)](https://i0.wp.com/realbalanced.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Slow-Cooker-Split-Pea-Soup-Hero-Shot-1-682x1024.jpg)
Our favorite way to make split pea soup is in the slow cooker. Cooking it this way makes sure all of these flavors develop really well. Plus, we love that it’s a hands-off cooking process once everything is in the slow cooker.
If you want to cook it on high (4+ hours), you’ll want to pre-soak the split peas to ensure they cook more evenly and become perfectly tender. Otherwise, cook it on low (8+ hours) and skip this step.
Once the soup is done cooking, you can cook it uncovered for an additional 1 hour or blend part of it (both of these things will thicken the soup). Up to you!
![Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (2) Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (2)](https://i0.wp.com/realbalanced.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Slow-Cooker-Split-Pea-Soup-Close-Up-2-682x1024.jpg)
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make slow cooker split pea soup
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
✨ Variations
〰️ How to serve
💬 FAQs
📚 More soup recipes
🍽 Recipe
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Really easy to make. Just combine the ingredients and let the slow cooker do the work.
- Packed with nutrients like fiber, protein, and vitamins from the peas and veggies.
- Can easily be made vegetarian-friendly.
- Great for meal prep and freezes well for future dinners.
- Easy to adjust the consistency and seasonings to your liking.
➡️Ingredients
![Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (3) Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (3)](https://i0.wp.com/realbalanced.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Slow-Cooker-Split-Pea-Soup-Labeled-Ingredients-683x1024.jpg)
⏲ How to make slow cooker split pea soup
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Soup:
High Instructions: The night before, soak the peas overnight in water. The next day, drain them, then rinse under cold water. Combine all of the soup ingredients excluding parsley in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours. If desired, to thicken more, after 4 hours of cooking on high, cook the soup with the lid off for an additional 1 hour.
Low Instructions: Rinse peas and drain well. Combine all soup ingredients excluding parsley in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
If you have extra time, you can continue to cook longer to further soften the ingredients and for the flavors to further develop. It really just comes down to how much time you have. Personally, I cook mine covered on high for 4 hours and then uncovered for about another 1 hour.
![Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (4) Bookmark This Recipe to Make with Your Leftover Easter Ham (4)](https://i0.wp.com/realbalanced.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Slow-Cooker-Split-Pea-Soup-Process-Shots-Portrait-Collage-1-686x1024.jpg)
- Final Steps, Garnish, and Serve: Discard the bay leaf. Then, if you’d like a thicker consistency, carefully blend the soup using an immersion blender until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in the parsley, then carefully taste test and add salt and pepper based on your taste preferences.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Split Peas: Lentils should work. They cook faster, so keep an eye on your soup’s texture. No need to soak them.
- Chicken Stock: Vegetable broth will work well here.
- Ham: Leftover turkey, smoked sausage, or even bacon are good options.
- Carrots: Parsnips or even rutabaga would work in a pinch.
- Dried Thyme: Sage or rosemary will work.
- Yellow Onion: Red, brown, or white onion would be fine.
✨ Variations
- For a vegetarian version, sub vegetable broth for chicken broth, ditch the meat and add a tablespoon or two of liquid smoke, along with your favorite vegan sausage to get a similar flavor and texture as the original recipe.
- Double down on the meat by adding diced smoked sausage or bacon in addition to the ham for an extra protein punch.
- Stir in some red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños if you love a bit of spice. It’s a nice way to heat things up on a chilly day.
- Throw in more vegetables like potatoes, turnips, or squash for a heartier soup.
- Experiment with different herbs, like rosemary, sage, or even a bit of dill, to find your favorite flavor profile.
〰️How to serve
- Bread — For dipping and scooping, serve the soup with garlic bread rounds or nut-free bread.
- Salads — Pair with dill cucumber onion salad.
- Toppings — Garnish with croutons, a sprinkle of grated cheese, and/or a dollop of sour cream.
- Grains — Serve your soup beside or atop cooked grains like rice, quinoa, or barley.
💬 FAQs
Is it necessary to soak the split peas?
If you’re cooking the soup on high in your slow cooker, yes, I would suggest soaking them, or they likely won’t soften enough. However, if you’re cooking the soup on low, you can skip this step.
How should slow cooker split pea soup be stored and reheated?
Let the soup cool to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, pop it in the microwave, stirring every minute or so until it’s heated through. You can also reheat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has become too thick in the fridge, thin it out with a little water or broth. To freeze, store it in portions in a freezer-safe container and it’ll be good for up to 3 months. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge or gently warm it from frozen in the microwave or on the stove.
📚More soup recipes
- Crock Pot Taco Soup
- Italian Sausage Soup
- Chicken and Corn Soup
- Hungarian Mushroom Soup
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
🍽 Recipe
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Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
- Author: Sara Nelson
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Description
This Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is an easy recipe that’s great for anyone, including beginner cooks. Just prep your ingredients, add them to your slow cooker, and that’s it. Cook it on low to simmer all day, or set it to high if you need it ready sooner.
Ingredients
- 20 ounces or 16 ounces dried split peas
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1–1 1/2 cups water (see note below)
- 2 cups cubed ham (storebought or leftover) or 1 meaty ham bone
- 3 carrots, peeled then diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Optional Garnish:
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Soup:
High Instructions: The night before, soak the peas overnight in water. The next day, drain then rinse under cold water. Combine all soup ingredients excluding parsley in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours. If desired, to thicken more, after 4 hours of cooking on high, cook with the lid off for an additional 1 hour.
Low Instructions: Rinse peas and drain well. Combine all soup ingredients excluding parsley in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
(If you have extra time, you can continue to cook longer to further soften the ingredients and for the flavors to further develop. It really just comes down to how much time you have. Personally, I cook mine covered on high for 4 hours and then uncovered for about another 1 hour.)
- Final Steps, Garnish, and Serve: Discard bay leaf. If you’d like a thicker consistency, carefully blend soup using an immersion blender until desired consistency is reached. Stir in parsley, then carefully taste test and add salt and pepper based on taste preferences.
Recipe Notes:
Water Note: Use 1 cup of water if you add 16 ounces of split peas. If you use 20 ounces of split peas, use 1 1⁄2 cups water. If desired, add more water towards the end of the cooking time to thin the soup out.
Bone-In Ham Note: If using bone-in ham, keep the bone in the soup until the soup has finished cooking. Remove from the soup when removing the bay leaf.
Refrigerator Storage: Let the soup cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer Storage: Freeze it in portions in a freezer-safe container, and it’ll be good for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: To reheat, pop it in the microwave, stirring every minute or so until it’s heated through. You can also reheat it in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has become too thick in the fridge, thin it out with a little water or broth.
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1 Comment
Rocket says
Good basic recipe but needs more liquid. I added another cup of chicken broth and seasoning. My mixture had cooked dry within 2 hrs. on low. Do have extra liquid on hand!
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